The morning after Mana Demo Day the streets of Astravar buzzed with unmatched energy Ethan could feel it the moment he stepped outside the inn Even the air itself carried a different rhythm as if the mana currents were whispering about AMAX Merchants walked faster apprentices talked louder and courier guild runners looked over their shoulders with unease The kingdom was no longer slow to change It was now racing toward something new Ethan reached the hall early but Lorian Mira and Aria were already inside discussing upgrades The fire sprite flew around with unusual pride as if it knew it had become famous Mira’s smoke hounds sat neatly beside her waiting for commands as disciplined as trained soldiers Aria knelt near the entrance tracing improved mana conduits into the stone floor strengthening the stability they had created for the demo Ethan stood in the doorway smiling a quiet subtle smile You all came early Lorian nodded We could not sleep too much excitement Mira said The merchants from yesterday already left three messages asking when the service expands Aria added And two nobles requested custom rune work Ethan stepped forward hands clasped We expected interest but the scale is larger than predicted The entire city is talking about us We must respond wisely He gathered them around the pitch table which was covered in new contract stones left by clients Ethan took a deep breath Today we start phase two Growth through structure Mira raised an eyebrow What is phase two Ethan explained The first phase was proving the idea Now we build a system Something that can survive pressure competition and scale Lorian asked How do we scale Ethan said We create the first Mana Operations Division Ten the apprentice raised his hand Mana what Ethan smiled Mana Operations ManaOps It means building consistent reliable processes that work even when founders are exhausted or busy with new ideas Mira said So we move from chaos to order Ethan nodded And from small to big Aria gently placed her chalk aside and stood ManaOps will require new runes for coordination we must design patterns that maintain stability even under heavy load Ethan agreed Exactly That is why I need you to lead rune infrastructure for the division Aria blinked surprised Me Ethan nodded calmly You are the only one who sees the underlying structure faster than the rest of us Lorian said I support this choice Mira added I do too Aria bowed slightly then began writing ideas on the table without hesitation Ethan continued We must also train new sprite handlers and new summoners Lorian froze Teach others Mira looked uneasy My summoning is finally stable I barely trust myself Ethan said calmly That is why you teach If you can explain your craft to others it becomes stronger Mira lowered her gaze thinking but nodded I will try Ethan continued And we need new roles A scheduler someone to track deliveries and creature assignments A dispatcher someone to match routes to customers Apprentices began whispering excitedly clearly imagining new responsibilities Ethan then pointed at a map of Astravar We also expand our reach two new districts this week the Skybridge District and the Riverside Market Mira hissed That is large Ethan nodded Yes because if we do not grow fast the courier guild will steal the momentum The room quieted at the mention of the guild Everyone knew the rival guild had decades of control connections wealth and political ties But they lacked purpose Ethan sensed it The momentum was now with AMAX But momentum alone could not protect them Suddenly Aria looked up mana pulsing faintly around her Something is shifting She whispered Ethan frowned Shifting how Aria stood walking toward the door Touch the air you will feel it Ethan raised his hand and sensed a faint wave like a soft vibration that rippled across the city as if a spell had been cast over the entire district Mira stepped forward That is a guild scale communication spell only the courier guild or the Arcane Council could cast it Lorian swallowed Why would they cast one now Ethan remained silent Then a messenger rushed into the hall breathless holding a glowing scroll For AMAX from the Council Ethan took it calmly opened it and read aloud The Council requests the presence of the AMAX founders for formal review of magical enterprise activity Mandatory attendance Ethan folded the scroll slowly The apprentices looked frightened Mira whispered They want to shut us down Ethan said Not yet This is a recognition They now admit we exist and they want to understand us Maybe fear us maybe evaluate us but not ignore us Aria spoke softly We should prepare Ethan nodded Yes we prepare Present clearly strongly calmly No fear This is what founders do They stand before power and speak truth Lorian took a breath Mira steadied herself Aria rolled her shoulders Ethan stood tall Tomorrow we face the Council Today we prepare The team got to work cleaning the hall organizing scrolls documenting process diagrams and refining runes Ethan spent hours coaching Lorian and Mira on how to explain their services with clarity Mira practiced describing logistics in simple terms Lorian repeated sprite stability concepts until he could recite them with confidence By night the hall was quiet again Ethan walked the empty training floor touching the runes Aria carved He whispered to himself They think they can intimidate us But this world needs what we build He looked up at the ceiling glowing faintly with mana The Council review would be a turning point Either an opening or a threat But he had seen this moment in many companies before At Series A funding At regulatory hearings At corporate buyout attempts Fear was natural but irrelevant Ethan whispered softly Tomorrow will shape the future And we will be ready